We joke because we don't really know how to deal with how absolutely horrifying this is!!

A Target employee in South Carolina was shocked when he found what he originally believed to a fake gun on top of a superhero Playskool toy box! However, upon closer inspection they found it was loaded with LIVE ammunition!

Now the big questions are how and why did it get there??

The fact that it was found in the toy section is leading some to believe it may have actually been left there on PURPOSE for a child to find! Shopper Kennedy McClain shared his theory, saying:

"I don't think someone would accidentally drop off a gun. I think he purposely left it there for a child to pick up and think, 'Oh it's a toy gun,' and accidentally point it at somebody and it goes off."

Wow! We REALLY hope that's not the case!

The timing couldn't be any worse either, as activists have been urging Target to pull guns from their shelves for good! This also comes in the wake of a VERY controversial demonstration by a group called Open Carry, who decided to go shopping at Target with their guns out in the open!

Local authorities are currently looking for the man they believed left the gun behind and are asking anyone with information to come forward and contact the police.

With all of the gun-related violence happening around the country lately, we're just happy an employee found it before someone else did. But how many more incidents like this need to happen before someone finally takes action??